Keeper of the Lost Cities: The Second Moonlark (a KOTLC/MLB crossover)

Chapter Six: Adrien

Adrien was stuck to a chair, the chair refusing to let him move. He could feel a cold band around his forehead, a woman watching from the side, a hooded figure next to her, a girl on the ground, being pinned down by what looked like Chewbacca Jr. A boy with black hair and silver tips stood in front of the chair, cuffs made of light around his wrists. What looked like some bald Chewbacca Jr. was getting ready to leave for some reason.

"The magsidian's been cut to draw body heat," the bald Chewbacca thing said. "I've carved new facets into it this morning. So I'd save your energy if I were you. I have a feeling you're going to need it."

What was this guy even talking about?

Adrien continued to struggle against the magsidian--whatever it was. But for some reason, his brain was telling him that he should know what they were talking about.

"My debt is fulfilled," Bald Chewbacca Jr. told the woman, her hair about the same hue as Alya's. "Do your ceremony."

"It's not a ceremony," the woman said. "It's a transformation. The beginning of a new legacy. And it starts now."

Legacy...

Legacy...

The scene appeared to morph, because the next thing Adrien knew, the boy was even closer, gritting his teeth together.

"I'm so-so sorry," the boy said, and out from his hands came...

Black stuff, like a thick mist. The boy twisted the mist stuff into an arrow and shot it at the rock above Adrien, sending sparks raining down.

And that's when Adrien saw the glops, melting right off the throne.

Adrien began to panic again, but he wasn't falling as the seat melted and started to seep into his skin. It was like he was being wrapped in a goopy cocoon, but this time, he could feel something happening inside of him.

"Embrace the change..." the woman breathed as the goo covered his face.

A flash of light happened before Adrien was plunged into darkness, hearing that mysterious cry for help.

"Adrien?"

Adrien bolted awake to see Plagg in his face.

"Gah!" he screamed, flopping off the bed in a tangle of blankets.

"Another nightmare?" Plagg asked. Adrien nodded.

"Kid, we gotta figure out what's happening to you," the Kwami said.

Adrien bit his lip.

Something was seriously wrong.

"Dude, nice doodles," Nino said. "But who's 'Sophie Elizabeth Foster?'"

Adrien's eyes widened and he covered the page.

"Sophie Elizabeth Foster doesn't exist," he insisted.

"Ooh, someone's got a crush!" Nino teased.

"Hush," Adrien rolled his eyes, yawning a little, trying to stay awake. The nightmares were really taking a toll on his health and ability to keep awake at times now. He just wished they would stop because he didn't wanna have to keep hearing that scream at the end of every nightmare.

"Excuse me, everyone!"

The entire class turned to see Mrs. Bustier...

With Keefe.

"I want you to meet Keefe Sencen," Mrs. Bustier said. "He's a transfer student from San Diego. And he says he doesn't like to talk very much, and I don't want anyone using that against him..."

Adrien began to zone out, turning back to his doodle. He'd drawn the "Sophie Elizabeth Foster" tree, with a silvery bird above it, and next to the drawing, a little sketch of a swan, heavily shaded that it looked more like a black swan.

"...How about you go sit next to Adrien?"

Adrien looked up from the paper.

"Uh... sure," he mumbled. And the next thing he knew, Keefe was sitting next to him.

Not that Adrien really cared at this point.

He just wanted whatever was going on to end.

Although, he did notice Keefe pale at the drawing.

What, did the drawing remind him of San Diego or something? Adrien had never been, so he had no idea what was over there. Farthest away he'd been from Paris was New York, and some of the things that happened there were things... he'd rather forget about.

He was able to go thanks to Marinette, but he temporarily lost Ladybug's trust in the process. She'd given him the task of protecting Paris while she was gone somewhere--New York, for some reason--and because he was stuck in New York, neither of them knew about the destruction that had been going on back home.

He sighed. He sure was doing a great job at trying to forget those moments.

After class, though, Keefe pulled Adrien into a dark corner.

"Is something wrong?" Adrien asked.

"Okay, do you know anything about the Black Swan, moonlarks, and Sophie Elizabeth Foster?" Keefe asked frantically, a lot louder than anything he'd ever said.

Adrien scrunched his face in confusion. Black Swan? Moonlark?

Did "Sophie Elizabeth Foster" even exist?

His brain was telling him that he should know everything Keefe was talking about.

"I'm sorry?" he took a step back.

Keefe's eyes widened.

"I... uh..." he mumbled, running off.

Weird.

"That new kid is so weird," Chloe said, brushing past Adrien. "Maybe you can stop by my place, Adrikins. Hang out with the cool people."

But Adrien wasn't completely listening.

Because, in the split second their arms had made physical contact...

He had felt her emotions.

A/N: I know, the chapters are starting to get shorter, sorry! But it's because I don't know how to fill up the chapters, but this is only a draft right now, so these will get edited!